Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1887-03-24

well, l must get to work now Then
he opened the FIRE. box door and called
out to me: More coal. To peaclfy
him, l took up Shovel full and man
aged 70 upset some Of it before l reach
ed the ftebox.
you clumsy fool! he called out,
here, give it to me- and snatching the
shovel out of my hands, he put on as
Inuch coal as he could get in.
was beginning to get alarmed ; and
looking out over the well-known coun-
try-for l had travelled that journey
many and many time before-I saw
that we were much nearer to Blinton
than we ought to be at that hour
However, l thought it did not mattsr
much, for the line was sgnalled clear
in front of US, and the damage done
Was, as yet, simply a little waste of coal.
In few minutes our speed increased
enormously, and ! calculated we were
travelling at the rate Of seventy miles
and hour. thought it was time to re-
monstrats, and turning to Morgan l
noticed that the indicator showed full
speed. | called his attention, begged
him reduce the speed,or we should run
into Blinton without being able to stop
'Ha, ha, he cried IN reply. Stop, I'm
never going to stop again ! | told you
Id make her travel. What do you
want to stop for Get on, get on =
Then he burst into peal of laughter
A cold sweat of absolute terror broke
ont on me as I realized the state Of
things. Here was raving maniac, a
far stronger man than myself, in charge
of train full Of people. ! bit my lips
and clenched my haLds, and tried to
collect my scattered ideas and then de.
eide What was best to be done. Mean.
while, Morgan sat on rail near the
boiler hourlshing shovel and shout
ing uproariously. The train rushed
on with incredible speed, not steadily
and evenly, but with leaps and bounds
that threatened to cast the engine off
the line at every yard. There was no
doubt that the man was as mad as man
can be, and he was also master of the
situation. | made one effort to reach
the handle by which the steam is turn
ed off; but the mailman was too sharp
for me. No you don't ! he shouted
He brought his shovel down with a
tremendous blow on the rail at my side,
missing my head. 1t was plain I could
do nothing by force. Would stratagem
be of any use ?
l looked out to the country time
was running short, we were not more
than twenty miles from BIinton juno
ton and if we did not stop there, the
whole train must be inevitably wrecked
and probably not Que passenger would
escape uninjurel, and but few with
their lives | hooked back to the train
Outside the window hands were gestic-
ulating and frightened, and alarmed
faces. At the end of the train the
guard was waving a red flag. Some
thing must be done, and by me, or we
should all be inevitably lost. l made
up my mind. l turned to Morgan with
smile on my face and said old boy
you're right this fine pace ; but it
amt quite fast enough. Look here =
and caught him by the arm and led
him to the side of the engine, next to
the double rail. See l cried, there
Is another train coming up faster than
us and she will pass us; we must 90
faster but let 8 see who is driving her
lean forward and look. Can you see?'
The poor maniac stepped outside the
rail and leaned forward to look for the
imaginery train, when l gave him a
sudden push, and lie fell IN a heap on
the side rails and was killed on the
spot. With gasp Of relief l sprang to
the engine and turned of the steam
1t was not a moment too soon. We
were we'll in sight of Bllnton Junction
before had the train under CONTROL
l pulled up al, right, and then tainted.
When l came to | was laying on u
bench in the waiting room, and the in
spector was standing over me, with his
note book in his hand, prepared to take
down my statement. What | stated
was, that the engine. driver had gone
mad, and that.to save life the of pas
sengers, l had knocked him off the en-
gine Just in time to get the train. under
control before running into the station
This was corroborated by the guard
and several passengers; and the case
was brought before the solicitors Of the
| comnapv gave nv evidence at the